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Tarolina Malcruz
Tarolina Malcruz (or just "Tara")Tarot Card theming, baby. Also coincides well enough by sounding like Lara (Croft), as Tara's original concept was being an explorer. is a phantom thief that used to be separated from his old troup. While he left for personal reasons, he has since returned as the second leader of the Tarot Deck alongside his brother, Carden. When he's not wandering the streets or fixing the issues Carden created within the group, he's busy stealing back artifacts from those who stole them. (Author's Note: Okay look, the trans reveal was going to happen and I don't regret it, but do I really have to go through the whole page and correct all instances of Tara's gender? Some help would be appreciated 'cause I'm not doing all of this at once.) Statistics Appearance Tara is only memorable if you’ve dedicated her face to memory. Despite being more on the feminine side than her brother, she has a relatively sweet mix of toned and slender, lending her body type more towards a boyish look. However, if you try to recognize her by anything besides her hairstyle and face, you’ll find a lot of people with the same descriptors in both genders, and Tara happily exploits this to make herself seem androgynous. She cares not for her own personal gender, seeing it more as a label than an identity, and keeps her bold and expressive personality apparent no matter what she’s wearing. Sharing her brother's hazel eye color and almost-orange hair, she styles hers longer than her better half. Her hair is quite lengthy, reaching down to the nape of her back, but she does it up in a ponytail behind her most of the time, allowing two bangs to frame the sides of her face. She takes incredible pride in this iconic hairstyle, and manages to make it work with her androgynous and universal style. She’s even known to be able to accent it with a hat or hide it all inside her hood, which doesn’t frizz it up due to careful TLC. Her face is the type that isn't distinctive enough to describe meaningfully, but one would likely recognize it easily if seen again. She plays at wearing her heart on her sleeve, but is a master of wearing expressions she does not feel, and so if you’ve been deceived by her facial expressions before, it may be hard to read her true intents. Attire Despite Tara’s fantastical imagination, she prefers to avoid formal wear if she can help it. Boy’s clothes are more comfortable for her for practicality rather than style, but this won’t stop her from changing things up every once in a while. The absolute limit on this is when it comes to dresses, which she outright refuses to wear because they’re just so damn hard to get on and off, and move about in. Casually speaking, however, her outfit doesn’t go much further than a blue jacket and a green undershirt if she’s in no particular mood. When wearing her Phantom Thief's Costume, Tara's look doesn't change all that much. The blue undershirt replaces the green, but worn over it is now a green, hooded overcoat with shortened, golden yellow sleeves that don't get in the way of dexterous work. She also wears a pair of leggings that are far more form-fitting than her other attire, meant to provide maximum flexibility without sacrificing (much) comfort. Deceivingly, their brown color almost matches her fair skin, but is quite obviously darker than it if one were to compare them side-by-side in clear light. When wearing this costume, Tara’s Whip is kept coiled on a belt, hidden by the overcoat in most situations to catch people by surprise. Details When using Persona-styled abilities, Tara tends to flourish as if she’s crushing something in her hand. Her dominant imagination allows her vision to manifest within Time Rifts, conjuring a Tarot Card bearing the Magician upon it only to crush it in her hand a moment later, activating the ability. Specifications Personality Tara’s personality is generally easy enough to get a grasp on. She always likes showing off for the crowd, even if there is none, and never hesitates to flex her skills in a subject. She knows what she can do, but not exactly how well, and ends up overestimating herself from time to time. This part of her has since been subdued a little since being Rifted, but it still exists. However, underneath her prideful facade is a bit of an inferiority complex. Tara takes great pleasure in being able to use her abilities and tools effectively, but even she knows that sometimes they won’t always be able to do the job, and often seeks companions to be by her side. Even if it’s only to demonstrate how well she can hold her own next to them, she thrives most when she’s directing or discussing things with another individual, and gladly accepts any challenge thrown her way so long as people are backing her up. Her strong sense of justice and fierce determination are also helpful to make up for such things if she’s on her own as well, and she will take any success she can get, especially when she’s on a roll. Traits Drives and Obstacles Goal(s): Bring justice and hope to those who need it, and discover the perpetrator of the Time Rift plot. Motivations: Becoming a beacon of hope to everyone who needs it Obstacles: Occasional impulsive actions Connections Affiliations * The Tarot Deck of Peregrine (Magician Arcana): The leader when Carden is not present, and something of a figurehead. Pretty much deals with every little thing that isn't delegated to the other Major Arcana, and also is in charge of delegating these tasks. Romance * Single, but not seeking. Family * Parents: Ryder and Whyte Malcruz (deceased) * Brother: Carden Malcruz (Fool) * Note: With the loss of her parents, Tara is very protective of her brother, as he’s the only family she has left. She takes it upon herself to succeed for the sake of her dead family, and ensure that Carden does the same. Friends and Foes Friends: * Nigel "Lyken" Lykenthro (Hermit): Tara’s tutor in all things combat and stealth. The two have something of a minor friendship, but Lyken’s stalker tendencies are not lost on her, and she doesn’t quite return his greater feelings for her. Regardless he continues to watch over and protect her, like a true stalker would. * Sonielle "Sonny" Davilla (Star): Though she’s Carden’s tutor and not Tara’s, she still has a good rapport with the Magician, and cares for her like a second mom. Which sounds creepy, but she’s a very good advisor, and invaluable for emotional conflicts. * Anoresha "Anore" Emisrit (Sun): A general aide when it comes to mechanical stuff, and probably someone Tara wouldn’t mind waging a prank war with. She buys anything she needs legitimately, which just ends up leading her to give a discount that’s basically a steal. The two have fun when they’re together. * Dimitri Barronmore: On top of being one of her saviors, Dimitri is also just kinda nice to be around. The one conversation she’s had with him ended rather well, and she trusts him with her life for obvious reasons. * Kel and Xav: Also saviors, and allies in Phox’s Rift. She finds it a shame that they don’t get into contact more often, because the two are pretty fun to watch interact with each other and Kel is a good conversation partner besides. Xav’s kinda hotheaded tho. * Asphoxia Titaneron: A fellow Rift victim, but she totally got kindness walled. Allies: * Zephyr Sekery: Supposedly, he shares some cosmic destiny with her. If it didn’t have any ground, she’d call it a failed attempt at a flirt. Frenemies: * None. Enemies: * Crimson: Tested her patience. A lot. Like, a lot a lot. Without intending to, mind, but she still hates him. Secretly wishes she could play herself up to that level and sees his showboating as a challenge she can't exactly accept because she's trying her best to be humble when she has nothing to boast over. Wants to punch him, but it won't make her feel better, even if she doesn't quite understand that yet. Knows: * Xano: A rift ally. * Jacob Satomi: Another rift ally. * Lumi Satomi: Tara does remember her being there following Asphoxia’s rift, but that aside all she has is what Kim’s told her. * Trace: Also a rift ally. * Roselle Fogue: Oh yeah, I guess she also has one of those god rocks. Others: * Jimmy (Other Side Contact): Will likely get in contact with him to keep him up to date on the Other Side. She doesn't particularly have a rapport for the guy, but he was a former Minor Arcana, so he still commands some respect. Favors Owed * Kind of an edge case. She owes Kel, Xav and Dimitri for saving her hide, but they’re all her friends anyway. Skills and Abilities Acquired/Learned Abilities * Flash: Cantrip-like. Creates a magical flash of light, blinding targets. ** Choose a point within 30ft. All enemies that are within 5ft of that point must roll a CON save (DC 14). On failure, they are Blind until their next turn. * Thieves' Cant: a secret mix of dialect, jargon, and code unique to thieves and criminals. ** Allows messages to be hidden in seemingly normal conversation. Thieving Arts Abilities learned through continued work in the field of thievery. While many of these can be learned by normal thieves, Steal Breath/Mind/Mana are usually Malcruz-exclusive. * Steal: Grabs something off of the enemy and steals it. ** Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to be in stealth to pull this off. *** Contest Sleight of Hand. Steals the item on success. * Steal Breath: Pulls a non-lethal portion of the target's life energy from them. ** Tara must land an Unarmed Strike or hit with the Longsword of the Shadow. ** Leaves the target breathless for a moment (makes them temporarily Exhausted) ** Restores the user's HP by the amount that was stolen, up to Tara's max HP. *** Tara can use Steal Breath if her HP is full, but if she does the exhaustive effects are dampened. ** D20 mechanics: *** Roll to hit and deal damage as you would normally, using CHA instead of STR / DEX for damage rolls and replace the damage type with Necrotic *** If used during a Grapple, double damage dealt by an Unarmed Strike *** On success, a target is also Exhausted (up to 3) until their next turn. **** If Tara is at full HP, this instead inflicts up to Exhaust 2. ** Other "systems": *** The idea is straightforward: damage dealt is restored to Tara. An unarmed attack is generally meant to grab and hold, which replaces Tara's weak-ass hitting strength with magic for damage purposes. ** Won't incapacitate a target right away, but depending on how much focus is put in and how long contact is maintained, it's possible to drain their HP to zero. * Steal Mind (Psychic): Pulls a non-lethal portion of a target's mental energy from them. ** Tara must land an Unarmed Strike or hit with the Longsword of the Shadow. ** Scrambles the target's spellcasting for a moment on a hit (breaks Concentration). ** Inflicts Stunned and reduces INT to -1 until the target’s next turn. ** Ends mental afflictions on success. ** D20 mechanics: *** Use INT instead of STR / DEX for damage rolls and replace the damage type with Psychic. *** Target makes an INT save to avoid Stunned and INT drain **** DC = Tara’s INT + Proficiency + Damage (Max 10) *** On a failed save, the target’s INT modifier becomes -1, and they are Stunned until their next turn. *** If successful, Tara must wait a number of rounds equal to damage dealt before using Steal Mind again, to a maximum of 5. *** If used during a Grapple, target has Disadvantage. *** On a failed save, Charmed, Frightened, and Short-Term Madness end on Tara. The effects of Long-Term and Indefinite Madness are also abated for 1 minute. ** Other "systems": *** The target loses concentration-based effects and is unable to use reactions. Also temporarily disables mental abilities. ** Much like Steal Breath, this won't exhaust on its own without time or focus *** If Tara is not afflicted with a mental effect, this skill also causes automatic failure on INT saving throws until it wears off. * Quickfoot (passive): Allows the bearer to perform two consecutive attacks. ** Attacks, not actions—replaces normal rogues' Cunning Action and Sneak Attack * Third Eye (passive): Helps the bearer identify traps and triggers for mechanisms ** ...as well as opportunities for sick freerunning/parkour tricks. Dawg. * Escape Artist (passive): Allows the bearer to easily escape grapples, binds, and traps. * Thieves' Tools (expertise): Double proficiency bonus when picking locks. Psychomancy/Sapphire Arts Abilities learned through continued exposure to the Sapphire Ice, and training from other Psychomancers (in Tara's case, Lyken and Sonny). Tara's actual aptitude for psychic powers is rather low, meaning it would take her a long time to learn these powers normally, if she did at all. However, thanks to the mind-amplifying powers of the Sapphire Ice, Tara is essentially multiclassing. * Psy: A blast of psychic energy. Can be groupcasted, but loses power if targeting more than one enemy. Attacks an enemy's mind directly, but doesn't leave lasting effects like Steal Mind. ** Psychic. 1d6+INT damage. Spell attack based on same. 60 ft range. Can strike as many targets as her INT modifier, reducing damage dealt by 1 for every target selected. * Tether Control: Allows perfect control over tethered weapons and tools. ** Passive. Psychic. Allows Tara to use her spellcasting modifier or her Sleight of Hand skill to perform grapples using her whip, Restraining the target instead of Grappling them within the whip's reach. However, contesting escape will still require her to use Athletics. * Tarunda: Weakens a single target's attacks by stealing away some aspect of their strength with Psychomancy. Be it motor skill or pure mental prowess, this ability temporarily debilitates the target’s attack potency universally. ** Psychic. 30ft range, done as an Attack. One target rolls a STR or INT Save (DC 14). On a failure, their damage rolls are reduced by 1d4+INT. The reduction increases to 2d6 at Total Level 16. * Rakunda: Weakens a single target's defenses by stealing away some aspect of their fortitude with Psychomancy. This can mean anything from weakening armor, reducing the potency of magical shields, or reducing situational awareness, but this ability universally debilitates the target’s defenses temporarily. ** Psychic. 30ft range, done as an Attack. One target rolls a CON or WIS Save (DC 14). On a failure, the target's AC is reduced by 1d4+INT. The reduction increases to 2d6 at Total Level 18. * Cold Clarity: A sudden burst of mental energy manifested from a flawed and unsustainable Trance state. Grants Truesight 60ft and cures Stunned, Charmed, and other enchantments once per long rest granted the ability procs, but subsequently disables mental abilities and Sapphire Arts. Requires direct possession of the Sapphire Ice. ** D20 mechanics: *** Whenever Tara makes a spell save against an enchantment or attempts to see through an illusion or other magical obscuration and fails, roll 1d20 against 20 - INT - WIS. **** On success, Tara is cured of Stunned, Charmed, and any other enchantments afflicting her. She gains Truesight 60ft until the end of her turn. **** On failure, nothing happens and the use of this ability is not consumed. *** At the end of the turn, Tara makes an INT save (DC 15). **** On success, Tara is Poisoned for 1 round. **** On failure, Tara is Poisoned for 2 rounds and suffers 1d8 Psychic damage. *** While Poisoned from Cold Clarity, Tara cannot speak in more than faltering phrases, and cannot use or maintain any other mental abilities. *** Using Steal Mind successfully while Cold Clarity is active will not subvert the saving throw or the Poisoned condition. *** Can be used once per long rest. Skills * Expertise: Acrobatics, Investigation, Sleight of Hand, Stealth * Proficiency: Deception, Insight * Mental Acclimation: Due to extensive training with psychics, Tara can sense any attempts to look into her mind and send clear, complete sentences to whoever is doing so. Resisting it is another matter entirely, but given Tara’s natural proficiency for psionics, don’t count on her failing that save. * Weapons Training: She's learned a variety of weapon styles from Lyken, most of which are melee-oriented. She specializes in one-handed finesse weapons, though she's been taking up a finesse-styled approach to longswords as well. She likes sticking to light, one-handed weapons so she can use them in tandem with her whip, but she does well enough two-handed too. Weaknesses * Overspecialized: While Tara has many skills that can be useful for turning the tides, her actual damage output is rather low compared to most magic-users and psychics, even taking Quickfoot into account. She relies heavily on being able to disable or debilitate her target in order to deal any real damage, so if she can't use them or they're rendered ineffective, she's forced to fall back on her allies. * Fragile Speedster: Tara has a hard time taking direct hits, even moreso than Carden due to her physical stat layout. If you manage to score a hit on her, she's going to scramble to retake the advantage. * Momentum Mori: Tara's overconfidence stems from her ability to consistently succeed at whatever it is she's doing. It's easy for her to get into a flow state and begin soaring past her obstacles, but if you shut her down early or deny her at a critical moment, her morale will be shaken, making it easier to catch her off her game. * Lightning: Despite lightning being the element of justice in Esper logic, the Sapphire Ice, Shiva, and consequently Tara all share a weakness to it. It's enough to knock her off her feet if she's hit by it, or even take her out altogether if it's powerful enough. Equipment Key Items * Magician Card: Drawn upon initiation in the Deck; works as an access key for the Hideout. A reminder of Tara’s virtues, vices, and destiny. * Sapphire Ice: One of the six pendants housing the great Espers. This one houses Shiva, who is attributed to ice and the mind. ** +10 Ice Affinity, +5 Magic ** Esper: Shiva ** Domain: Mind ** Resists Fire/Cold, Weak to Lightning Weapons * Tara’s Whip: Tara’s trademark leather whip. Given to her as a gift by Carden, and is among one of Tara’s most reliable weapons. A hook is fixed to the end of it, giving it use as a slashing weapon as well as a makeshift grappling hook. ** An ordinary whip by D20 standards. ** +2 Atk ** Back Row OK, Tether Control OK * Longsword of the Shadow: A longsword dropped from Carden's Shadow. Another gift from Carden, though this is technically a regift from his Shadow. Rude. ** In D&D systems, it is a +1 Longsword with Finesse. ** +3 Atk ** Steal Breath/Mind/Mana OK * Dagger: A dagger. It’s really normal. You might be able to use it like a main gauche if you try hard and believe in yourself, but don’t count on it. ** A dagger by D20 standards. ** +1 Atk (Offhand) ** Back Row OK Other Equipment * Phantom Thief's Costume ** 11 + Dex AC under D&D rules ** +1 Def * Stealth Boots ** Boots made by the High Priestess. Has surprisingly quiet footfalls. ** Grants Advantage on audible Stealth checks * Thieves' Tools: Used to pick locks. Double proficiency bonus due to expertise. * Smoke Bombs: Can you really call yourself a thief without these? Inventory * Dessicate Salt: Salt intended for Dessicate use. Can be consumed at Obelisques to perform various services that the Dessicates mastered while residing under Peregrine. Biography Tarolina Malcruz, the Snowbound Thief of Heart The story of Tarolina Malcruz begins intertwined with that of her brother, Carden. Born three years apart, the two grew up well together, and developed a particularly close bond. Always together no matter what, they shared dreams, aspirations, and feelings. As the more outgoing and confident sibling, Tara brought much excitement to their lives. She took the lead on many endeavors, making more than a few mistakes. However, she managed to pass through most of her trials with flying colors, proving herself a prodigy. Because she knew she had incredible potential but others did not, she aspired to become a hero to inspire and protect the people around her. Their parents were involved in one of the gangs in Peregrine City: the Tarot Deck, a syndicate group working in the shadows to ensure the safety and order of the masses within the city. Assigned titles named after the various Arcana, each member had a specific place in the hierarchy according to the tarot cards they drew upon initiation, both Major and Minor. Tara and Carden's parents, Whyte and Ryder Malcruz, were the leaders of this group, alongside a mysterious enchantress known as the High Priestess. Whyte, the Empress, was a natural leader and a great magician, seasoned by three years on the battlefield as an arcane spy and assassin and even more experienced with subterfuge behind enemy lines. Ryder, the Emperor, was similarly gifted, but focused more on the ways of trailblazing and skilled fighting without relying on magical tricks. They left the siblings to fend for themselves when they were out on operations, but still managed to juggle the household responsibilities that the two weren't old enough to handle yet. One parent generally watched over them when absolutely necessary while the other did their business. Seeing the entire family in the same room together was rare, but Tara and Carden got used to it with time, and eventually learned to be independent when both parents had to be away. Tired of being home alone with Carden and wanting to further her dream of becoming a hero, she asked her parents if she could join this mysterious and benevolent gang. Her lofty dreams grounded only by her steadfast brother, she asked him to join him in this quest, seeing him as her essential partner in crime. Where Carden failed, she would often succeed, and in return he was always keeping her confidence in check, letting her know when she might be pushing it. They were a dynamic duo, truly—all the more fitting and fortunate that when Tara turned 18 and was considered old enough for the Deck, Carden was also considered worthy to take up an Arcana. Unfortunately for both of them, however, there was no preparing for the Arcana they drew: Tara had drawn the Magician, and as such was destined to become one of the driving leaders of the gang. Upon joining the Deck, Tara's personalized training was taken to the next level under the guidance of the Hermit Arcana, Nigel Lykenthro. Her mother and father continued to take up most of the slack of leading the deck, allowing the two siblings to live in relative ease while their parents developed a way to induct their children as equals. The two quickly found their niche in the gang as vigilante rogues or, as Tara called them, Phantom Thieves, thanks to the release of Persona 5. To her, this was the best way Tara could fulfill her role in the Deck; not only was it the occupation of her dreams given her recent obsession, but this was also an opportunity to do good in the world while also playing into her charm. On several occasions, Carden would pull off the heist from the shadows as Tara distracted the masses with her excellent showmanship. Using her androgynous build and anonymity to stoke rumors bordering on legend in the public imagination, the two gave hope to Peregrine's suffering—one of the few moments of spotlight the Tarot Deck had ever experienced. For a time, the two found great enjoyment and contentment in their lives. However, one day, their parents vanished while on an operation. It was said the Empress and Emperor were going to investigate a mysterious rumor about a cult brewing underneath the city. They departed in the dead of night one day, without saying proper goodbyes—a few days later, their dead bodies were found by the police, and the two siblings were stricken with grief. Tara didn't take very well to this. As The Magician, total leadership of the Tarot Deck was passed almost entirely to her. She and Carden ended up splitting their responsibilities rather quickly—however, it was clear before long that Tara had no way of keeping her feelings in check, and was more often than not too overcome with sadness to handle anything for her brother. She saw the grief brewing in him as well; she knew how much he was bearing, and yet she was powerless to help. Her optimism was, for a time, shattered, and with it her drive to do much of anything. Depressed in all senses of the word, she could only allow Carden to take the reins, as the High Priestess refused to take control, insisting that the siblings handle things themselves. It was terrible; Tara almost hated her for it, but she knew deep down that the Priestess was right. Dwelling on this couldn't be healthy. She returned to the field, hoping that by continuing to push onwards, she could recover. However, it didn't take long before she realized that, in his own sadness, Carden was leading the Deck down a path of greed. She quickly connected the dots, realizing there was no real reason that they were stealing from certain people over others; they were completely indiscriminate. Tara withdrew her efforts from the Phantom Thieves for the time being, unable to perform her work in good conscience. However, Carden continued on, without her, and she could only watch as things got worse and worse. Sensing the twisted desires in her brother's heart, she resolved to change it, one way or another. One fateful night, Tara confronted him in secret during an operation. Pleading with him to see the error of his ways, tears rolling down her face, she desperately tried to convince him to turn back to the side of good, to no avail. Blinded by his greed, her brother could only deny her truths, insisting that this was the only way to make things "fair" for them. Holding back tears in his heart, he turned his back on his sister, who fell to her knees and cried. He continued that operation as planned, albeit with a minor delay—but when he returned to the hideout that night, he found his sister gone and her quarters empty. The bond between them had been broken in the span of one night, and with it, Tara's fragile hope. It was a poorly thought-out plan, but it was a plan. By leaving the Deck and going out into the city on her own, she would find proof; undeniable, irrefutable proof of what Carden was doing, and with it she was going to force him to own up. That's all she wanted; it was enough if he would only admit to his crimes, so she could help him atone. However, cut off from all of her companions in the Deck itself, with not an ally to her name nor a direction to start in, she quickly ran into a dead end. And then, once in a blue moon when she found a lead, another one. The Deck's activities were far and few between, and for two years she found such an absolute lack of anything that she fell into a state of hopelessness. She harbored a secret, yet burning hatred for Carden, for this man who was her brother yet also so twisted. Knowing that she couldn't bring herself to make him an enemy, however, she constantly beat those thoughts back with delusions. He wasn't hopeless, she told herself. He could still be saved, she reminded herself. Eventually, it was just subconscious for her to banish those thoughts. Somewhere along the line, she was approached by the High Priestess, who lamented about Tara's current condition. Lost on her own with nary a direction or a plan, she was a prisoner to two of the Magician's vices. The first, of course, was poor planning; a fact she knew from the very beginning. However, the Priestess revealed that her second was not manipulation, but instead latent power. True to her prodigal nature, Tara had great potential within her, and with it the power to take control of her errant fate. However, it was untapped—unused. Partially as a gift and partially out of a desire to draw out that power, the Priestess gave her the Sapphire Ice, a gemstone containing one of six godlike Espers, Shiva. Tara found herself synchronizing with Shiva quite well with absolutely no trouble, and once it was revealed that she was worthy of becoming her next bearer, the Priestess left, leaving only a hint of where the Magician's future would go and a promise not to reveal her to the Deck, who at this point she could consider an opposing force. Aged 23 by the events of PlayDis, Tara faced the core of her hateful thoughts towards Carden, her Shadow, within a demiplane made after her own mindscape. With this mental roadblock removed, she has unlocked within herself a new resolve, and with it a newfound prowess with her already existing skills. Ultimately deciding that, useless or not, she would lead the Deck alongside her brother, she has since returned to the gang, and now fulfills that promise to herself as best she can. Simultaneously, she is working to investigate the Time Rift menace within Peregrine, and hopes to bring the culprit(s) to justice. She realizes there's a lot on her plate, but that's fine; so long as she can make up for the two years she lost and live up to her parents' legacy, she doesn't care what it takes. After all, this is her story. And as long as she's alive, she'll keep fighting for her happy ending. Former Homes: None; hasn't lived anywhere Peregrine. Former Jobs: Left the Tarot Deck for a while, but she's back now. Gallery Notes